According to authorities, a 35-year-old Mentor man died in a Route 44 collision around 9 a.m. on Dec. 1. Officials declared he 35-year-old man dead at the scene of the wreck. Reportedly, the other driver involved in the two-vehicle crash suffered minor injuries.

The incident happened in Chardon Township, where a 30-year-old man from Painesville driving north in a 2001 Pontiac Grand Am was attempting to pass another northbound vehicle when he carried “left of center” and struck the 35-year-old man’s southbound Honda Civic, authorities reported. The 35-year-old man suffered fatal injuries as a result of the collision.

Reportedly, the 30-year-old driver suffered injuries in the wreck as well. Officials characterized his injuries as minor. The 30-year-old man was treated and released from a hospital. Police then detained the man on multiple charges, including improper passing and vehicular manslaughter. Nevertheless, the accident investigation remains ongoing, officials said.

Reportedly, a fundraiser to help the 35-year-old man’s family has been started online. Many families of fatal crash victims struggle not just emotionally but also financially in the months and years following the deadly event. This is especially true when the decedent was a parent or the main economic contributor to the household. However, these bereaved families may posses legal recourse. In short, they may seek civil remedies for their struggles.

Families may retain the help of a wrongful death attorney and file suit against the party whose actionable conduct directly contributed to the deadly car accident. If the suit were to prevail, the claimants may receive restitution for many of their losses.

Source: WKYC, “Mentor man killed in Geauga County crash”, December 01, 2014